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btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Your honour, I love them.
This book was an emotional roller coaster. I loved Emma's empathy and how it changes others around her throughout the story, but also how she had to learn how to keep that while also keeping her peace.
There were a lot of familial issues touched on here. An incarcerated parent, a sibling turned guardian, parental neglect, a child parenting their parent, and that's not even the full list?? As such, there's a lot of reflection on who these characters are, who they can be, and how they can be together when so many factors are pulling them apart.
The mental health discussions, the humour, the strong friendships, and the heartwarming romance all came together to create a beautiful book. The way this connected back to Part of Your World was so surprising, and I barely caught it since it's been so long since I read the previous companions. Just for the Summer was fantastically interwoven into the series and the world's coming together was so perfect. I'm so happy to see how far Abby Jimenez has come with her writing and can't wait to see what she thinks up next!
TW: abandonment, parental neglect, incarcerated parent, alcohol consumption, mental illness, child abuse, emotional abuse, vomit, depression, PTSD; mentions suicide, death of a parent, car accident
This book was an emotional roller coaster. I loved Emma's empathy and how it changes others around her throughout the story, but also how she had to learn how to keep that while also keeping her peace.
There were a lot of familial issues touched on here. An incarcerated parent, a sibling turned guardian, parental neglect, a child parenting their parent, and that's not even the full list?? As such, there's a lot of reflection on who these characters are, who they can be, and how they can be together when so many factors are pulling them apart.
The mental health discussions, the humour, the strong friendships, and the heartwarming romance all came together to create a beautiful book. The way this connected back to Part of Your World was so surprising, and I barely caught it since it's been so long since I read the previous companions. Just for the Summer was fantastically interwoven into the series and the world's coming together was so perfect. I'm so happy to see how far Abby Jimenez has come with her writing and can't wait to see what she thinks up next!
TW: abandonment, parental neglect, incarcerated parent, alcohol consumption, mental illness, child abuse, emotional abuse, vomit, depression, PTSD; mentions suicide, death of a parent, car accident
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Mental illness, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Vomit and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide, Car accident, and Death of parent
booksgoodformysoul's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A very, VERY emotional read, that was both heavy and light. This book flew by like a breeze - the characters had me laughing out loud, and the romance was so sweet, but the situations both main characters were dealing with were heavy. What a great representation of mental health, trauma in life, becoming an adult, life not always being fair, and working to heal. Ah, Abby Jimenez is just incredible. Very much recommend, but be prepared for a read that will sit with you, a little heavy on your heart and soul. And check trigger warnings, please!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Grief, Emotional abuse, Vomit, and Car accident
dkh's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
kb33's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Death of parent, Vomit, Medical content, and Fire/Fire injury
agrandromance's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Car accident, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
tannerlauren's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Car accident, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
kimiichanga's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
another entry to the abby jimenez universe and i wanna draw a map of how her characters connect bec WOOH BOII the map just got Bigger
loved this book, but not enough to give it the 5 stars NOW, we'll see if i change my mind
loved justin, like he is my fave mmc out of the AJ books. he's literally my fave type of mmc, the funny, hot guy who's in touch with his emotions
wasnt a huge fan of emma, like i didnt connect with her but then i realize about halfway that shes supposed to be like that and it changed the way i saw her. i gave her a bit more slack esp given her circumstances
the ending parts? GAGGED ME. all the revelations were unraveling and i was spun around, made me gasp out loud, and i went gasp NO WAY for real
i personally forgot the past book characters but! the reveal was fun, of course i didnt forget my loves Briana and Jacob
loved this book, but not enough to give it the 5 stars NOW, we'll see if i change my mind
loved justin, like he is my fave mmc out of the AJ books. he's literally my fave type of mmc, the funny, hot guy who's in touch with his emotions
wasnt a huge fan of emma, like i didnt connect with her but then i realize about halfway that shes supposed to be like that and it changed the way i saw her. i gave her a bit more slack esp given her circumstances
the ending parts? GAGGED ME. all the revelations were unraveling and i was spun around, made me gasp out loud, and i went gasp NO WAY for real
i personally forgot the past book characters but! the reveal was fun, of course i didnt forget my loves Briana and Jacob
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Abandonment, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Vomit and Child abuse
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
abidavisf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
As I predicted, Just for the Summer had me bawling, laughing, blushing, and yelling at the sky.
Abby Jimenez has done it again. How she is able to create such beautifully complex characters and weave them all into this interloping Minnesotan family tree is beyond me. The time, effort and logic that must go into making these connections is astounding and I LOVE THEM ALL.
Emma broke me in so many ways. The life that was chosen for her was so unjust, and yet she fought her way to become this caring, empathetic and adventurous woman. Watching her accept and heal from her trauma through this tale was both beautiful and heart-breaking. No child should ever have to experience what Emma did. I am so proud of her but, most of all, I hope she is proud of herself.
Where to start with Justin? The unicorn symbolism woven throughout this book fits him so perfectly. He is available emotionally, a protector, a carer, but also deeply burdened by his own trauma. The juxtaposition of Emma, whose trauma began at a young age, and Justin, whose was given to him in his twenties, is so interesting. Emma was able to teach him how to handle the shock of his seemingly perfect and romanticised life turning inside out through her own experiences and her own empathy, which, as Maddy points out, is her strongest quality and yet also her biggest weakness. Justin deserves the world, and I hope that we can see him get that in later books. No doubt they’ll pop up again around Minnesota.
Maddy, Maddy, Maddy. She’s a real one. To be loved by somebody like Maddy is a beautiful thing, and something that everybody deserves. I’d love to see more of her and meet her moms, but I also think that I know enough about Maddy to know that she was so loved in her life that she has grown to have the ability to care incredibly deeply for those that she loves. She has a beautiful soul, loves fiercely, observes and tends for everyone she can, and is truly a gift to all who know her. She’s also hilarious. 10/10 would be her best friend.
Just for the Summer is a grilling tale of trauma, grief, friendship, and love. It encourages its readers to hold those they love best, to choose empathy over anger, but also to set boundaries when needed to protect themselves. You should always love you more.
Thank you, Abby, for another life-affirming read that I will be thinking about forever. I can’t wait to re-read already.
Abby Jimenez has done it again. How she is able to create such beautifully complex characters and weave them all into this interloping Minnesotan family tree is beyond me. The time, effort and logic that must go into making these connections is astounding and I LOVE THEM ALL.
Emma broke me in so many ways. The life that was chosen for her was so unjust, and yet she fought her way to become this caring, empathetic and adventurous woman. Watching her accept and heal from her trauma through this tale was both beautiful and heart-breaking. No child should ever have to experience what Emma did. I am so proud of her but, most of all, I hope she is proud of herself.
Where to start with Justin? The unicorn symbolism woven throughout this book fits him so perfectly. He is available emotionally, a protector, a carer, but also deeply burdened by his own trauma. The juxtaposition of Emma, whose trauma began at a young age, and Justin, whose was given to him in his twenties, is so interesting. Emma was able to teach him how to handle the shock of his seemingly perfect and romanticised life turning inside out through her own experiences and her own empathy, which, as Maddy points out, is her strongest quality and yet also her biggest weakness. Justin deserves the world, and I hope that we can see him get that in later books. No doubt they’ll pop up again around Minnesota.
Maddy, Maddy, Maddy. She’s a real one. To be loved by somebody like Maddy is a beautiful thing, and something that everybody deserves. I’d love to see more of her and meet her moms, but I also think that I know enough about Maddy to know that she was so loved in her life that she has grown to have the ability to care incredibly deeply for those that she loves. She has a beautiful soul, loves fiercely, observes and tends for everyone she can, and is truly a gift to all who know her. She’s also hilarious. 10/10 would be her best friend.
Just for the Summer is a grilling tale of trauma, grief, friendship, and love. It encourages its readers to hold those they love best, to choose empathy over anger, but also to set boundaries when needed to protect themselves. You should always love you more.
Thank you, Abby, for another life-affirming read that I will be thinking about forever. I can’t wait to re-read already.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
rachelshubin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this book in less than 24 hours and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. For what it’s worth, this book is not a summer romance you pick up to read “just for the summer.” It’s much heavier than your typical romance (but not out of the wheelhouse for Abby Jimenez) and has a lot of topics (trigger warning, PTSD, parent death offpage, parent abandonment, etc) that make it more of a women’s fiction story than a romance.
I loved the beginning with the R/AITA? (Reddit Am I the Asshole). It was really cute and I loved the way that Emma and Justin connected. I loved all the J-name men are the worst comments because who hasn’t been wronged by a J-name man (I will die on this hill, two have done me wrong and tarnished their J-namesakes).
I liked the travel nursing aspect of the story, and Emma’s friendship with Maddy is super important to the plot. I also really liked all the banter and flirting between Emma and Justin. Some of their quotes are really great.
The story has two complicated parental stories which is interesting. And in typical Abby writing fashion (this may be a spoiler if you haven’t read her books) you get kind of a miscommunication breakup, together, big obstacle that causes a break up, before ultimately coming together. I’m not a huge fan of that type of writing and that’s why I haven’t loved all her books (particularly Yours Truly) but this one definitely redeemed her writing style for me. I still really wish there was another chapter inbetween the first time they have sex and having a miscommunication dilemma. But it wasn’t as bad as when that happened in Yours Truly.
Before reading JFTS, you definitely should read or reread Part of Your World and Yours Truly. All three are standalones but they all have a level of crossover and in JFTS, it’s a pretty significant crossover for all three books. You won’t miss anything by not reading the others, but the experience definitely will be richer if you do!
Overall, I’m happy I read this book because I did enjoy the story and it had me smiling and nodding along! I’ll definitely continue to check out Abby’s books and go back and read the one I missed.
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved the beginning with the R/AITA? (Reddit Am I the Asshole). It was really cute and I loved the way that Emma and Justin connected. I loved all the J-name men are the worst comments because who hasn’t been wronged by a J-name man (I will die on this hill, two have done me wrong and tarnished their J-namesakes).
I liked the travel nursing aspect of the story, and Emma’s friendship with Maddy is super important to the plot. I also really liked all the banter and flirting between Emma and Justin. Some of their quotes are really great.
The story has two complicated parental stories which is interesting. And in typical Abby writing fashion (this may be a spoiler if you haven’t read her books)
Before reading JFTS, you definitely should read or reread Part of Your World and Yours Truly. All three are standalones but they all have a level of crossover and in JFTS, it’s a pretty significant crossover for all three books. You won’t miss anything by not reading the others, but the experience definitely will be richer if you do!
Overall, I’m happy I read this book because I did enjoy the story and it had me smiling and nodding along! I’ll definitely continue to check out Abby’s books and go back and read the one I missed.
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Abandonment
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Medical content
Minor: Car accident
sarahsthoughtsonbooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Originally, I figured that I could wait until Abby Jimenez's JUST FOR THE SUMMER was released before I would read it. However, the anticipation became too much, so I requested the book and have no regrets.
I read this novel a few weeks ago during a cross country flight, and was so glad that I was able to finish it in one sitting. As I didn't read the synopsis, I was pleasantly surprised that we were returning to the world of Royaume - the site for PART OF YOUR WORLD, and YOURS TRULY. We do get decent page time or cameos from our favorite couples.
From the opening Reddit thread - which leads to sliding into DMs and then exchanging contact information to text, to the epilogue, JUST FOR THE SUMMER is filled with signature Abby humor, and little Easter eggs for her fans (For example, J names are the worst).
Like any Abby book, you will hit some emotional bumps that require some tissues for the reader. It is not all fun and laughs for Emma and Justin. Emma works to unpack childhood trauma about abandonment and being able to quickly leave things, especially once her mother appears back on the scene. There's also a huge reveal about her family that her mom has kept from her her whole life, and it basically rocks Emma's world. That's not to say that Justin doesn't have any emotional weight, because he does - he must care for his three much younger siblings.
While you do not need to read either PART OF YOUR WORLD or YOURS TRULY, I highly recommend that you read both before diving into JUST FOR THE SUMMER. PART OF YOUR WORLD because it will make you understand the events in this novel better, and YOURS TRULY just because it's my favorite Abby novel to date.
I read this novel a few weeks ago during a cross country flight, and was so glad that I was able to finish it in one sitting. As I didn't read the synopsis, I was pleasantly surprised that we were returning to the world of Royaume - the site for PART OF YOUR WORLD, and YOURS TRULY. We do get decent page time or cameos from our favorite couples.
From the opening Reddit thread - which leads to sliding into DMs and then exchanging contact information to text, to the epilogue, JUST FOR THE SUMMER is filled with signature Abby humor, and little Easter eggs for her fans (For example, J names are the worst).
Like any Abby book, you will hit some emotional bumps that require some tissues for the reader. It is not all fun and laughs for Emma and Justin. Emma works to unpack childhood trauma about abandonment and being able to quickly leave things, especially once her mother appears back on the scene. There's also a huge reveal about her family that her mom has kept from her her whole life, and it basically rocks Emma's world. That's not to say that Justin doesn't have any emotional weight, because he does - he must care for his three much younger siblings.
While you do not need to read either PART OF YOUR WORLD or YOURS TRULY, I highly recommend that you read both before diving into JUST FOR THE SUMMER. PART OF YOUR WORLD because it will make you understand the events in this novel better, and YOURS TRULY just because it's my favorite Abby novel to date.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Car accident and Alcohol